Safety Check Completes Hat-Trick In Zabeel Mile

Safety Check extended his winning sequence this year to three in the Group Two Zabeel Mile Sponsored by Al Naboodah Construction Group on turf at Meydan, UAE, on Thursday, February 26.

The Charlie Appleby-trained four-year-old was coming in on the back of an impressive four-length victory in the seven-furlong Group Two Al Fahidi Fort sponsored by Gulf News at Meydan on January 22, having captured a handicap over the same course and distance on January 8.

Safety Check broke on terms under William Buick and raced in fifth and then sixth down the back straight.

The Dubawi colt made steady progress around the home bend and was travelling well with two furlongs remaining.

He quickened to the lead with a furlong to go and ran on well to score by a length from Dark Emerald in a new track record time of 1m 35.53s.

Earnshaw was a short-head further back in third.

Charlie Appleby commented: "Safety Check is a horse who has progressed very well in Dubai and he deserved to win another Group Two race.

"He is a typical Dubawi and he will be fun horse for England in the summer.

"We will now ship him back to Newmarket and keep him for later in the year as he prefers fast going.

"His best trip is seven furlongs but, as he showed tonight, he is effective over a mile so that gives us plenty of options.

"I would like to thank my team and make special mention of Cam Hardie who has done so much with this horse, riding him daily and on his first start this year."

William Buick said: "Safety Check did it well. We wanted to keep it as simple as possible, but I probably turned in a bit deep (on the track).

"He travelled very well and, bearing in mind he was stepping up a furlong in trip, I wanted to be one of the last to challenge. It all worked out.

"He has got obvious talent and is improving. He is so honest and puts his head down and really battles on. He could be quite an exciting horse in the summer in the UK."